'Suwon Saebit Dolbom Changes Significantly'... Suwon City Expands Support Targets

The city of Suwon in Gyeonggi Province has completely revamped the ‘Suwon Saebit Care’ program this year.

Suwon Saebit Care is a ‘Suwon-style integrated care project’ where the village community takes the lead in identifying neighbors in need of care and providing them with essential care services.

This year, Suwon expanded the care recipients to include not only Suwon citizens but also foreign residents staying within the city. The income eligibility criteria were changed from the previous 75% or less of the median income to 120% or less. National merit recipients receive full support regardless of income. The support amount increased from 1 million KRW per year to 1.5 million KRW, and the number of service types expanded from 4 to 7.

Suwon also operates a village-level care community called ‘Saebit Dolbomi.’ Suwon Saebit Care, which began pilot operations in 8 neighborhoods in 2023, has since appointed 828 Saebit Dolbomi members in all 44 neighborhoods since last year to identify care blind spots and promote services. In 2024, 1,794 households in crisis were identified.

Suwon City is reorganizing Suwon Saebit Care.

In 2025, Suwon Saebit Care will shift from provider-centered care to user-centered care and will be operated in a way that residents directly propose policies.

Services can be applied for at the care-dedicated counters at the administrative welfare centers in all 44 neighborhoods and through the ‘Saebit Toktok’ app. A care planner is assigned on the day of application, and an on-site visit is conducted within 7 days (within 3 days in urgent cases).

Through the Suwon Saebit Care project, Suwon received the grand prize at the ‘2024 National Basic Local Government Heads Manifesto Best Practice Competition’ held in July last year, and in November, it won the grand prize in the Women & Senior category of the Basic Local Government division at the ‘2024 Local Autonomy Content Awards,’ gaining external recognition for its achievements.

A Suwon city official stated, "With the reborn ‘Suwon Saebit Care,’ we will build a more robust social safety net and realize a customized welfare system," adding, "We will do our best to establish Suwon as a care city that empowers the lives of its citizens."